Midfielder Jonathan Steele, who scored a career-high 24 points for the Blast last season, was among five players the club lost during yesterday's Major Indoor Soccer League's expansion draft.
Midfielder Gordon Chin and goalkeeper Brian Rowland were also taken from the active roster in the draft, which is being used to stock three teams being added to the league. Steele was taken third overall, by the Orlando Sharks, who also drafted Rowland in the second round. Chin was taken by the California Cougars, who traded for the pick, in the fourth round.
Forwards Ibrahim Kante and Patrick Shamu were selected from the Blast's inactive roster by the Milwaukee Wave (via MISL Monterrey) and Monterrey, respectively.
Orlando, Monterrey and the New Jersey Ironmen are the three teams that will begin play in the 2007-08 season. The expansion brings the league's total number of teams to nine.
"It's never easy losing players," said Blast general manager Kevin Healey. "We feel confident with the core of players we were able to keep."
Steele, who at 21 was the youngest player on the Blast, played in 26 games last season. He was suspended at the end of the year by the team for a run-in with coach Danny Kelly in the locker room, Healey said. Steele missed the final two games of the season.
"[Steele] is a very good player," Healey said. "He did make a mistake last year. We let it [be] known through the league that we would take him back if he wasn't taken. I think he has a great future and we still like him a lot."
Rowland, a 26-year-old backup goalie, started six games and compiled a 3-3 record. Chin, 24, scored three points in 15 games last season.
Each team submitted a list of eight protected players who were unable to be drafted. A team could lose a maximum of five players in the draft.
daniel.igo@baltsun.com